Knitting machine



June 10, 1952 M zlMlC ErAL 2,600,369

KNITTING MACHINE June 10, 1952 M. zlMlc ETAL KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 13, 1945 WNW.

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June 10, 1952 M. zlMlc Erm.

KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Sept. 13, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 M. ZIMIC l' AL KNITTING MACHINE June 10, "[952 Original Filed Sept. 15, 1945 V m l M I# bww. m W TI! w w Q |||||l|||||||||||||||||J IJ||||||| QQ @L gw Il .L E MHHIIIIHIIIHIHIIHM Il i .E z. S m55... i I\ QN oww.

June 10, 1952 M Z|M|C ETAL 2,600,369

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 13, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Iig 5' ,m

June 10, 1952 M. zlMlc ETAL KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed Sept. .13, 1945 June 10, 1952 M Z|M| ETAL 2,600,369

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 13, 1945 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 .Omv l June `10, 1952 M. zlMlc Erm.

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 15, 1,945

9 Sheets-Sheet 9 neuem Patented 'June 10, '1952 UNITED STATES TENT QFFICE KNrr'rING MACHINE Michael Zimio, New York, and Anton Miskovsky, Deer Park, N. Y.; said 'Miskovsky, assigner to said Zimio 4 claims. (ci. eas-127) 'This Vinvention relates` generally to theeld of machine knitting and more particularly, to a fully automatic links and links machine.

Among the objects of the present invention lies the provision of a novel and useful knitting machine of the links and links type wherein there is the simultaneous vproduction of a plurality of knitted webs, and methods of knitting the same.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a machine of the character described which, by virtue of the organization of the parts and subassemblies thereof, provides a greater quantity of knitted fabric withinjthe same space as would be occupied by a plurality of independent machines, or conversely, a substantially equal amount of knit goods in a correspondingl or lesser amount of factory space.

Another object, herein lies in the provision of a plural capacity links and links knitting machine-wherein through a novel co-action of the parts thereof, controls of a master unit affect a series of controlled units. By virtue of the tandem operation and construction, certain control mechanisms need be only provided once for a given machine with a consequent saving in first cost and servicing. s

A still further object of the present invention lies in the provision of improved jack construction, co-acting with split flat needle beds and needles, so that a superior knitting action is obtained.

Another object herein lies in the provision of improved carriage construction so that the shifting of the butts and hence the jacks may be accomplished in a superior manner with a consequent improvement in the action and' knitting ability of the many needles in the beds. The present improved carriages also facilitate a new action of the yarn controls.

Another object herein lies inthe provision of simple and substantially trouble-proof control means for producing co-action between the master unit and the controlled units.

Another object lies in the provision of an improvedV method of knitting of substantially continuous Webs of knitted fabrics.

A feature of the'present invention lies in the fact, that although increased production is obtained, various features of the automatic links and links construction, such as flexibility and adjustability, are retained, whereby the knitted fabrics may be varied as to the character of the stitches. l i, n s

A further feature of the present construction ,Z lies in the provision of safety devices bythe use of which imperfections in the yarn or knitting operations cause a stoppage of the machine and the construction is such that servicingmay be done with a minimum o-f 'lost time by the operator or repairer.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

The *inventive ideas involved are capable 1 of receivinga varietyof expressions, one of which. for purposes of illustration, is shown in the laccompanying drawings; but it will be expressly understood that said drawings are lused. merely lfor the purpose of facilitating the description of the invention as avvhole, and not to define the 'limits thereof, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

This application is a division of our copending application, Ser.'No. 615,936, filed September 13, 1945, for Knitting Machines, now Patent No. 2,493,054.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l and Figure l-a,'together form a general plan of View of an embodiment of the invention. Itis intended that these two figures be consulted simultaneously by placing them in juxtaposition'with Figure l on the left.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view partly in section of one of the controlled carrlages'of Figure l.

Figure 2-a. is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view partly in section of the master .carriage shown at the left of Figure l-a.

Figure 2-b is an enlarged fragmentary detail elevational View of the mechanism seen at the right end of Figure l-a.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan View ofthe controlcarriage which is shown atthe left of Figure l-a.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary'vertical sectional view `as seen from the plane llt-4 on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is `a fragmentary perspective view showing details vof the yarn control mechanism.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the buck or right end of Figure l-a.

Figure 7 is a schematic plan View of the stitch cams on the control carriage substantially at the Figure 9 is a schematic fragmentary vertical sectional View as seen from the plane S-Q on Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a schematic fragmentary vertical sectional View as seen from the plane iii-m on Figure 7.

Figure l1 is a schematic fragmentary vertical sectional View as seen from the plane ii-H on Figure '1.

Figure 12 is a schematic fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane |2|2 on Figure 1.

Before entering upon a detailed description of the construction of the machine by means of which the various knitting steps are accomplished, it is believed that a better understanding of the entire mechanism and methods of operation will be obtained by first giving a synopsis.

As shown in Figures l and l-a, a bank of individual knitting units is provided. As an eX- ample, three knitting units 22, 23 and 24 are shown. Groups of needles in each of the units do the knitting and these needles are actuated by stitch cams carried by the carriages 59, 5| and 52. The carriage 58 is the master carriage and l the carriages 5| and 52 are the controlled carriages. In some instances, for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary repetition, parts on the units 23 and 24 corresponding to the unit 22 are given the same reference character with the addition of a letter suffix, a in unit 23 and "b in unit 24. Each of the knitting units has a stationary needle bed and a movable needle bed, the latter being shifted in unison on all units. A yarn selecting mechanism in the master unit controls the feeding of the yarn in the controlled units. The size of the knitted stitches in the master unit is controlled by a selector for this purpose, which shifts stitch size cams in master unit, and this selection is transmitted to the controlled units. The width of the knitted fabric web is determined by shiftable cams in the master unit and this is transmitted to the controlled units. As to which ends of the double point needles in the links and links machine are used,

this is controlled by novel structure and the control is effective in each of the knitting units 22, 23, and 24.

In the general type of machine herein shown,

the usual front and rear beds 29 and i9 are provided in which the needles 33 are controlled to form stitches through the medium of a separate lock mechanism supported by each of the carriages 50, 5 and 52, which continuously reciprocate over the needle beds in each of the knitting units. The carriage 50 is connected to the carriage 5| by a connecting rod 44, the carriage 5| is connected to the carriage 52 by the connecting rod 45. Each of the connecting rods 44 and 45 as provided, at the ends 46, 41, 48, and 49 is provided with a downwardly opening notch which is adapted for detachable engagement with the shanks of headed pins which project forwardly from the rear portions of the carriages. See, for example, the pins |85 and |86 on Figure 2 and |83 on Figure 2-a. The carriages in reciprocating over the needle beds control the needle jacks associated with the various needles to accomplish the regular knitting operation.

, For the purposes of the description, it will be assumed that operation is initiated with the carriages at their left hand positions.

lTurning to Figures l and l-a, the machine generally is indicated by reference character 2G and includes, broadly, a base or frame 2| upon which are supported a plurality of knitting units 22, 23 and 24. While, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, a machine has been shown having a master knitting unit 22 and controlled knitting units 23 and 24, the number of controlled knitting units may be varied to produce, simultaneously, a different number of fabric Webs than the three produced by the present machine.

As far as the general knitting structure is concerned, each of the controlled units 23 and 24 is substantially identical with the other and also with the master unit. This will more fully appear as the disclosure proceeds. As seen in Figure 4, there are stationary frame beds 21 and 28. The front needle bed 29 is slidably mounted on the front stationary frame bed 21 for movement longitudinally of the machine 29 and said front needle bed may be shifted by actuation of the connecting bar 38 which joins the corresponding shiftable front needle beds of the controlled units. Shifting of the bar 30 to produce the desired type of stitches is accomplished in a well-known manner heretofore used on links and links machines of the present class. The bar 30 interconnects the'three front needle beds so that they may be simultaneously shifted.

The front and rear needle beds are provided with a plurality of grooves 3| and 32 within which are located the needles 33, as well as the front and rear, and auxiliary jacks 34, and 36, respectively. Obviously, the number of the grooves 3| and 32 will depend upon the width and gauge of the fabric and the size of the machine. It may be noted here, however, that the carriages in their operational cycles make a complete traverse of the needle beds so that knitting may be carried on for the full width of the capacity of the machine. Where narrower fabrics are desired, the yarn controls feed the yarn for a lesser width. as will more fully appear herein.

The front jacks 34 are provided with a series of butts 31 and 38, and the rear jacks 35 have corresponding butts 39 and 44. The auxiliary jacks 36 have single butts 4|. These butts coact with the stitch cams on the carriages.

Disposed at the front and rear portions of the machine and supported above the beds 21 and 23 are the front and rear rails 42 and 43. The cross-sectional configuration of these rails is seen in Figure 4 and they serve as tracks along which the main carriage 5i! and the controlled carriages 5| and 52 ride.

The carriages are generally similar in construction with the master or main carriage 5B. the carriage having additional mechanism for controlling carriages 5| ang 52. As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the carriage 50 has front and rear assemblies indicated generally by reference characters 53 and 54. The assemblies 53 and 54 are connected by an arched bridge 55. In the case of the master carriage 5i), the bridge 55 supports the yarn control 56. The front and rear assemblies 53 and 54 are built about the front and rear carriage plates 51 and 58. The front and rear base portions of the bridge 55 are secured to the upper surfaces of the plates 51 and 58 in any suitable manner, as by bolting.

The front and rear plates 51 and 58 are provided with a plurality of horizontally journalled rollers 59 and a plurality of vertically journalled rollers El). The rollers 59 and 60 are adjustable so that the carriage 50 may follow a substantially rectilinear oscillatory course. A plurality of reciprocatable latches 6| are shiftable inwardly and outwardly of the carriage to engage corre- @gestaag f spondingly'positioned grooves vin the rails ft2 Yand 33. When in their extended position, these latchesmaintain the carriage inpositive slidable engagement with the rails.y When the latches 3| are retracted, they permit the vertical upward removal of the carriage from the rails.

Secured to the under-surface of the plates 51 and 58 by the bosses E2 and 63, and generally spaced and parallel with respect thereto, are the stitch cam supporting plates 615 and 55. The cams which co-act with the butts 31-4! are seen in Figure 7 in which the cams'which depend from the front plate Slt are seen at the left of sad figure and the cams which depend from the rear plate 55 lare seen at the right of said ligure. The arrangement oi the stitch cams is such' that when the carriage 59 (or the other carriages cor responding thereto), is moved to the right as the machine is faced from the front, said cams would move downwardly as illustrated on Figure 7.

Assuming the carriage to be moving downwardly as last described, and the particular jacks 34 and 35 to be at the position indicated by the plane 3--8 on Figure '7, the butt 31 is just about to be struck by the switch or gate cam 1|l'while the butt All is about to be struck by the switch or gate cam 1|. These cams at that time are in their lowered or active positions. The effect oi' the cams 1|! and 1| and the movement of the carriage is to move the jacks 34 and 35 toward eac-h other. In the position shown in Figure S, which may be referred to as a normal position of the jacks, they are at rest and may be considered to be at the end of one knitting cycle and at the beginning of another. In this position, the rear hook 'F2 of the needle 33 carries the last formed loop 13 and the rear hook latch 14 is closed. The carriage continuing its downward (as viewed in Figure 7) movement, brings the butts 31 and di! into contact with the cam surfaces and 165 of the cams 11 and 13. The jacks 31% and 35 are brought closer together and appear as shown in Figure 9, at which position the tip 1% of the for ward portion 83 of the jack 35 opens and maintains open the latch 14.

As the carriage proceeds downward (as viewed in Figure 1), the butts 31 and 38 are disposed between the cams 11 and 8|. In'the case of the rear jack 35, the butt 49 engages the straight portion 82 of the cam 13. The opening of the latch 14 makes way for the laying in of the yarn. Further movement in the same direction of the carriage brings' the parts to the position shown in Figure 10 in which the butts 31 and 38 are engaged between the cams 11 and 8| at the portions 82 and 83, said butts having been retracted (in this case, moved to the left) by the cam portions 8e and 85. At the same time, the portion -86 of the cam 81 has retracted from the knitting area the rear jack so that the butt 39 now en. gages the cam portion 31. In this position of the needle and the jacks, the yarn is laid in and the brushes 8B and 39 facilitate this operation.

Continued movement of the carriage in the same direction brings the butt 33 into contact with the portion 93 of the stitch size cam 9|, which is shiftable forwardly or rearwardly as further appears herein; The farther forward (or to the leit as viewed in Figure '7) the stitch cam 9| is moved, the longer will be the stitch in the nished material. At this time, the rear jack 35 is further retracted by the rear stitch size cam 92. The completion of the stitch occurs in the position indicated by Figure 1l and the butt 31 isengaged by the 'ca-m portion |82 and then n iovedv toward'the knitting area between the front and rear needle beds 29 and |9,'r espectively,

stitch. The shifting of the needles from one needle bed plate to another for this purpose is well known in the art and is controlled by the auxiliary jacks 35. The jacks 33, when in their normal or inactive position, are disposed in the rear-most portions of the grooves therefor in the rear needle beds |B, the but 4| being passed by the rear portions IEJI and m2 ofthe needle transfer cams |3 and |04.

The auxiliary jacks 36 are shifted tothe active position thereof by the contact of the rear tip |05 with a clip |95 (see Figure 4) secured to the hexagonal jacquard drum |91. 4The jacquard drum |31 is of a well-known type having orifices, into which the tips |35 may pass, and when it is desired to advance an auxiliary jack to an active position thereof, the particular orice is blocked by a clip |36. Where it is desired to expand the range of jacquard design control, a relatively long annular chain, having a corresponding function (aligned orices and clips) may be driven by a suitable polygonal drum. When the jacquard drum |01 advances the auxiliary jack, a relatively slight amount, the butt 4| thereon becomes engaged by the portion |98 of the cam |03. This butt 4| then has the elect of displacing the butt [i3 (see the dot-dash lines in Figure 8) and the forward edge IBB contacts the rear edge ||0 of the rear jack 35 so as to advance said jack from its normalcourse of travel, a distance equal to the distance between the rear edges of the butts 4i) and 4|. When the rear jack 35 is thus advanced, the downward projection rides up over and is engaged by the rear hook 12 of the needle 33 and when in passing between the stitch cams the rear jack. 35 is moved rearwardly, it pulls the needle 33 from the front needle bed 29 into the rear needle bed |9.

The jacks are frictionally retained Within the grooves of the beds by laterally extending springs at the sides thereof (not shown) as is well known in the art to which the present invention relates.

. The jacks rest infthese grooves under gravity.

When the jacks are shifted longitudinally of themselves, any tendency thereof to rise except when they are going through the slots 94, 95, 96, and 91 is prevented by the shoulders 3|0, 3||,

f3|2, 3|3, and 3M, 3|5 and 3|5 which engage the under surfaces of the vario-us cams which act upon the butts as followers. By this construction. independent needle latch openers and so-called wen'gels which overlie the forward portions 80 of the jacks 33 or the corresponding inner ends of the jacks 34 are eliminated. Since the jacks are thus supported against vertical movement in the area of the butts, the portions ofthe jacks which engage the needles may flex slightly upwardly,

'with a substantial reduction in damage of needles caused by jacks striking the needles, in such manner that jamming or damage to the needle or jack isv materially reduced.

The jacquard drum |31 may be mounted upon -a shaft (Figure 6) which is engaged in the slotted upperr ends of a plurality of radial arms I2 which are fixed to the longitudinal shaft H3. The shaft slidably rests upon the supports 99 (Figure l-a.)

The gate cams 10 and |10 (Figure '1), as a coacting pair, are so arranged that when one of them is down or in the closed or active position thereof, the other one is in the open, upper or inactive position. The gate cams 1| and |1| are substantially identical in structure and mode of operation with the cams 16 and |10. As seen in the lower portion of Figure 3, the cam 10 is secured to the lower end of a vertical pin |14, having a rearwardly projecting follower ||5. Similarly, the cam |10 has a vertical pin ||6 and a follower ||1. The gate cams seek the lower or active position thereof under the action of gravity, aided by expansive coil springs. The spring ||9 is seen in Figure 4. Slidably disposed upon the upper surface of plate 51 is a member |I9, provided with a left cam surface |20 and a right cam surface |2|. When the followers ||1 or ||5 are resting upon the upper surface of the member H9, the respective gate cam is elevated to its inactive position. The cam surfaces |20 and |2| are so arranged that the elevated portion of either one of the cams is mutually exclusive with regard to the other. The member ||9 is maintained in an operative position by the guides |22 and |23. The member ||9 is shifted in position by the ends thereof |24 and |25' (Figure 1-a), striking suitable relatively stationary projections arranged in their path of travel.

The stitch size cams 9| and 92 are substantially identical in construction and operation and are shifted in position by adjustable fingers such as the lingers |24, |25, and |25, which engage the follower |21, projecting upwardly from the cam 9|, for example. The follower |21 may have associated therewith, suitable indicating means |28 to show the relative position of the cam 9| in its retracted positions. The fingers |24|26 are adjustably secured to a bar |29 by means of the screws, which penetrate slots in said fingers and threadedly engage said bar. The right-hand end of the bar |29 is provided with stepped faces |30 and |3| and lying directlybelow the bar |29 is another bar |32, having the stepped faces |33 and |34. The bars |32 and |29 are inter-connected by a well known rack and pinion device |35, so that any one of the three fingers, |24, or |26 may be selectively engaged with the lollower |21 by means of the dog |33 (Figure 2-b) which is movably mounted with respect to the frame 20 for movement forwardly or rearwardly of the machine, but is fixed longitudinally. The dog |36 is seen at the right end of Figure 1-a. The bars |32 and |29 are slidably mounted in the guides |31 and |38 which are secured to the top surface of the plate 51. A similar structure is utilized to shift the stitch cam 92 and includes the bars 229 and 232 in the guides 231 and 238, and lingers (only one 224 of which is seen). The stepped faces 230, 23|, 233 and 234 co-act with the dog 236, while the bars 229 and 232 are oppositely moved by the rack and pinion device 235.

As best seen in the right end of Figure l-a and in Figure 6, the dogs |36 and 236 are pivotally mounted on the frame at |39 and |40 and are adapted to be partially rotated in a stepped manner by the link 4| which inter-connects the dogs |36 and 236. The link |4| is pivotally connected to the upper arm |42 of a bell crank action. The lower arm |43 is connected at its outer end to the link |44, the lower end of which is connected to the-lever |45. The inner end of the lever |45 is interengaged with the adjacent end of an arm |46, the other end of which terminates and is pivotally mounted at |41 to the frame. Two sprocket shafts |48 and |49 of well known construction are utilized to control the sizes of the stitches of the knitted material by varying the position of the stitch size cams 9| and 92 by being stepped around to rotate a number of chains, such as the chains |50 and |5|. Each of these chains carries the necessary number of lugs |52 and |53 arranged at intervals about the chain and brought into contact with the lever |45 or the arm |46 at the proper time and duration to accomplish the desired shift of the dogs |36 and 235. As shown in Figure 6, the link |4I, and hence the dogs |36 and 236, may be shifted by a lug on either of the chains |50, |5|, depending upon the positions of the lugs |52 and |53 thereon. If a lug on the chain |50 is engaged with the lever |45, the latter is rocked about its pivot |54 independently of the arm |45. On the other hand, if a lug on the chain |5| engages the arm |46, this raises the lever |45 to have a correspond ing effect.

Each of the carriages 5| and 52, see Figure 1, is provided with stitch size cams corresponding to those on the master carriage 50 as described above and the bars 29-a, 229-a, |29-b and 22S-b are interconnected by the stitch size cam links |55. |59, |51 and |58.

The yarn carrier changing structure, indicated generally by reference character 56, is best seen in Figures l-a, 3 and 4. The structure 50 is mounted upon the carriage 50 and transmits through the elongated yarn carrier bars IBI, |52, |63 and |64 its yarn shifting effect. The carrier bars are slidably mounted for reciprocation. longitudinally of the machine in the yarn bar supports |66, |61, |68 and |69. The bar supports It- |69 are substantially identical and extend upwardly from bridges |12, |13, |14 and a fourth one (not shown; below the carriage 52 in Figure 1, which are disposed at the level of the stationary frame beds 21 and 28. Each of the said yarn bar supports includes a base |16, a relatively narrow upright |11 and a slotted head with a retainer plate secured to the head to hold the bars in place.

Each of the bars |6||64 has three yarn guides secured thereto, one for each of the knitting units 22, 23 and 24 referred to hereinabove. so that in Figure 3 there are shown the guides |88, |89, and |9| for the knitting unit 22; in Figure 1 there are shown the guides |92, |93, |94 and |95 for unit 23 and the guides |96, |91, |98 and |99 for unit 24. A detailed view of the guide |90 is seen in Figures 4 and 2-a and it comprises an offset bracket 200 carrying a yarn eye 20|, a connector 202, and a yarn tube 203. The particular yarn 204 may be supplied from any well known yarn rack (not shown). Each of the other yarn guides is of substantially the same construction as the guide |90 the brackets varying in size and angularity to place the yarn over the open needle hooks during the knitting process.

Thus each knitting unit 22, 23 and 24 may be served with four different threads or yarns which may vary in character as desired. The yarn selected by the control is laid into the open needle-hooks of the needles 33 by the yarn tube, such as the tube 203 being moved along the knitting area between the front and rear needle beds. The brushes 88 and 89 keep the latches open and prevent the yarn from coming out of the hooks. The particular yarn carrier bar being activated is moved along by reason of its engagement with the master carriage 50. This is accomplished by a series of four pins 203, 201, 208 and 209. The pins are vertically reciprocatable and have inactive upper positions and active lower positions. Each of the said pins 203-209 has a slidably and resiliently mounted lower terminal. See Figure 4 in which the terminal 2|I in the form of a sleeve as slidably mounted on the lower end of the pin 208 is seen. A spring 213 urges the terminal 2 Il to its lowermost position. The terminal 2H is provided with a, slot 2I5 in which the projection 2|6a from the pin 208 rides. This slot and projection limits the upper and lower travel of the terminal 2 Il with respect, to the pin 208. The terminals ofthe pins S-209 coact with upward projections 2 l0, 2 I2, 2|4 and 2IB on the bars IBI-|64, respectively. For example, with the pin 2 08 lowered to its active position and the carriage 50 about to travel to the right as viewed in Figures l-a and 3, the pin will engage the left end 2 I8 of the projection 214. The carriage then travels to the right and the bar l33 goes along with it.

There are eight sets of cams, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 225, 225 and 221, which are adapted to stop the movement of the bars IGI-|34. These cams are pivotally mounted on extensions from the yarn bar supports. Thus, the cams 223 and 229 are mounted upon the extension 239. The extensions 228 and 239 are longitudinally adjustable in position with respect to the yarn bar support E61. upon the extension 240, and the cams 225 and 221 are mounted upon the extension 24|. The extensions 240 and 24| are longitudinally adjustable in position with relation to the yarn bar support IGS. While the carriages therefore make complete traverses of the entire needle bed lengths, the fabric need not be aswide as the needle bed is long but need be only as wide as the relative movement of a particular yarn guide. By the adjustment of the positions of the cams 21e-223 and 225-221, the width of the finished material 100 can be determined. The cams last mentioned are urged in the directions of the yarn bars to which they relate by springs such as the spring 242 and preferably suitable stops are provided, such as the stop 243 to prevent contact of the cams against the sides of the yarn bars. It is desirable that the cams be in close proximity to the yarn bars but not that they rub.

Returning to the engagement of the terminal of the pin 208 with the end 2I8 of the projection 214, as described above, as the pin is carried to the right (see Figure 3) the long arm of the lever type cam 223 is deiiected, against the tension of the spring 244, so as to allow the said pin to pass. When the carriage 50 reaches the right hand end. of its travel (see Figure l-a.) said pin 208 will be elevated by thecam 225 to its inactive or upper position. Action of v`the yarn selector control 36 may. reactivate the pin 208, or one of the other pins as will appear hereinbelow. On the return trip when the carriage 50 moves to the left, assuming that the pin 208 has again been selected, it engages the right end 245 of the projection 214, the cam 225 will deect to allow said pin to pass and at the end of the return trip the cam 223 will elevate the pin 208 to its inactive position. The other pins 209, 201, and 209 have a similar mode of operation with the cams and projections which they engage.

The selector 56 acts to lower the desired pin of the pins 206, 201, 208 and 299 to the active or The cams 220 and 222 are mountedV yarn feeding position thereof. Each of these pins has (in addition to the lmovable terminals, corresponding to the terminal 2i I) ahead 246, 241, 248 or 249, an expansive coil spring -25), 25|. 252, and 253, and a laterally vextending pintle 254, 255, 255 and 251, respectively. The Shanks of the pins 205-299 are vertically reciprocable in cylindrical bores inthe block 258 (see Figure 5) and there are slots laterally extending from said bores within which the` pintles 2511-251 may move. A reciprocable latchY plate 259 is longitudinally slidable in the rabbet 260 in the surface 29| of the block 258. The block 259 is secured to the upper surfaceof the bridge v55. Aguide 262 maintains the latch plate 259 in position The latch plate 262 is urged forwardly bythe-coil spring 253, and has a plurality-of cam surfaces 294 and notches 255. By virtue ofthe structure just described, thedownward movement of any one of the pins 299-209 causes its respective pintle 254-2 51 to engage one of the cam surfaces 254 in turn shifting the latch plate259 rearwardly. This releases any previously kengaged pintle from a notch 255. As the pintle being lowered travels farther downwardly, it in turnbecomes engaged by a notch 255, as the latch plate 259 is urged forward with a'snap action.

The pins 295-209 are pressed to -the lower or active position thereof by the y long levers 296-239, inclusive, respectively, which engage the pintles on said pins.

All of the levers Z50-299 are pivotally mounted on the axle 210. The outer or rear ends of the levers 255-299 are adapted to be selectively elevated by a plurality of `vertically reciprocable rods 21 l-214, inclusive, said rods being mounted within pairs of aligned oriiices in the U-shaped support 215. Suitable projections in the upper portions of the rods prevent them from dropping down excessively when they are not engaged` by the cam 213. The U-shaped support 215 is .secured to the rear vertical surface of-the .bridge 55. The cam 211 is similar to the camA 216-just noted, cam 211 being seen in Figure. l-a. Cams 216 and 211 have rearwardly directed racks 218 and 219, respectively, which engage apair ofgear trains, only one of which, the train v290 is seen, in Figure 4, and these gear trains .areactuated by the shaft 281. The right end 282 y(seel'igure 6) of the shaft 28E has a crank 293 which is pivotally connected by the-link 294 to the crank 285, which is xed upon countershaft. 286. .Another crank 291 is connectedthrough a link.288 to a lever 289 which is similartothe lever 145. The lever E45 is actuated byva chain control (not shown) similar to the chain 150. Thus, actuation of the lever A299 results in the simultaneous shifting in position of the'cams 216 and Y211, so that they engage the desired rods` 21E-214. These in turn shift the levers A2st-269 lto lower the desired pins 203-209, thereby--moving the desired yarn carrier bars itil-H64.

The main carriage 50 haspivotallyconnected thereto, at the rear of said carriage, a yoke 291 which is detachably engageable with the slider 292. This connection, which is provided with a ball handle 302 may be such that upon overload the same will automatically disengage and preferably simultaneously break the circuit to the source of power for the machine. The slider 292 is slidably engaged upon the track 293 which is fixed to the frame of the machine and may be maintained in position by the supports 99. A bracket 294 may be supported by the track 293 and the supports 99 and upon the bracket are Jacquard needle shifting, and bed shifting mechanisms in a Well known manner.

It may thus be seen that we have provided a novel and highly useful knitting machine and method of knitting. With a master unit, a plurality of controlled units duplicate the product of the master unit. By virtue of our means for controlling the shifting in position of the needles from the front to the rear needle beds or vice versa, the third, jacquard, or rearmost jacks are guided in substantially the same groove or raceway by which the rear jacks are shifted. This reduces the number of cams and locks required and hence the size and Weight of the carriage,

making a more compact machine which, because of less friction, may be run at higher speed. By our novel double butt jacks, wear on the parts is materially reduced, with a consequent reduction in servicing and replacement and unproductive machine time. Only one yarn selector mechanism is required to control all of the knitting units. In accordance with our invention, a single stitch cam element is used for knitting in both directions of movement of a carriage, the cam element having two cam surfaces. This permits a smaller lighter carraige to be used. Undesirable pressure and wear on the needles is reduced owing to the positioning and support of the jacks obtained by the coaction of the shoulders' beneath the butts on the jacks with the undersurfaces of the cams on the carriages.

We claim:

l. A knitting machine comprising: a plurality of knitting units, including a master unit and at least one controller unit; each of said units having needle beds, with a plurality of needles and a carriage movable along said unit adapted lto actuate said needles; means to move the carriage of the master unit along its bed; a plurality of elongated yarn carrier bars substantially as long as the combined total length of the said units plus one; a plurality of yarn guides on each of said bars, one for each of said units; said yarn carrier bars being movably mounted on said machine for movement in the same direction as said carriage is movable; and means to selectively and detachably interconnect said master carriage with any one of said yarn carrier bars.

2. A knitting machine comprising: A plurality of knitting units, including a master unit and at least one controlled unit; each of said units having needle beds; with a plurality of needles and a carriage movable along said unit adapted to actuate said needles; means to move the carriage of the master unit along its bed; a plurality of elongated yarn carrier bars substantially as long as the combined total length of the said units plus one; a plurality of yarn guides on each of said bars, one for each of said units; said yarn carrier bars being movably mounted on said machine for movement in the same direction as said carriage is movable; and means to selectively and detachably interconnect said master carriage with any one of said yarn carrier bars, said means including a projection on each of said yarn carrier bars and a plurality of reciprocatable pins on said carriage.

3. A knitting machine comprising: A plurality of knitting units, including a master unit and at least one controlled unit; each of said units having needle beds, with a plurality of needles and a carriage movable along said unit adapted to actuate said needles; means to move the carriage of the master unit along its bed; a plurality of elongated yarn carrier bars substantially as long as the combined total length of the said units plus one; a plurality of yarn guides on each of said bars, one for each of said units; said yarn carrier bars being movably mounted on said machine for movement in the same direction as said carriage is movable; and means to selectively and detachably interconnect said master carriage with any one of said yarn carrier bars, said means including a projection on each of said yarn carrier bars and a plurality of reciprocatable pins on said carriage, and a shiftable latch plate, said plate locking only one pin, in its carrier bar projection correcting position, at a time.

4. A machine for knitting a plurality of sepa- .rate knitted webs comprising, a plurality of juxtaposed links and links knitting units. each of said units having associated needle beds and a movable carriage, means operable to impart driving movement to one carriage, means for linking another carriage to the driven carriage, means for performing a yarn selection on one carriage, and means for transmitting that selection to another carriage.

MICHAEL ZIMIC.

ANTON MISKOVSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,395,814 l-Iayhurstl Mar. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,968 Great Britain of 1882 6,104 Great Britain of 1895 7,784 Great Britain of 1886 12,522 Austria July 10, 1903 

